Who should be Who’s new companion?

Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat announced last week that Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and her husband Rory (Arthur Darvill) will leave The Doctor’s side after next season.

At a London screening of this year’s Christmas special, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, Moffat said, “Amy and Rory will be rejoining us next series and joining the Doctor back on the Tardis, but the final days of the Ponds are coming – and during the next series… then the Doctor will meet a new friend.” He didn’t give details, although his use of the term “friend” is likely quite deliberate given criticism that “companion” is an outdated term.

Matt Smith, who stars as Doctor Who, added, “We’ve had the most incredible journey. We tool over the show and we had to hold each other’s hands and help each other through it. So it’s very disappointing, but one has to remember that this show is about change and regeneration, and that’s what galvanizes it and pushes it forward.”

Amy and Rory’s first appearance coincided with Smith’s debut as the Eleventh Doctor, and Gillan has been in every episode since. Rory officially become a companion in last year’s Christmas special. We learned over the course of last season that the Pond’s daughter Melody (aka River Song) became a time traveler herself because she was conceived in the Tardis. According to @bbcdoctorwho, Moffat “thinks” that River (Alex Kingston) will be back.

The good news is that we’ll see Amy and Rory next season, which wasn’t at all clear at the end of this season, and can say goodbye properly. The bad news is that Moffat described the end of the Ponds’ story as “heartbreaking.” I refuse to think about what that means right now.

I suspect that Amy always will be my favorite companion because she led me into the Whoniverse. But I can’t help speculating on who Who’s next “friend” might be.

My first thought is Jaime Murray. Granted, Murray seems always to be my first thought when a role for an attractive UK woman is open.

Still, Murray would add a naughty edge to the part that would be a complete departure from the Ponds. She also would doubtless provoke a fair big of jealousy from River, and the pair’s sardonic interaction could be delightfully uncomfortable for The Doctor.

A Whovian friend of mine would love to see Sally Hawkins take the role.

I suspect that Hawkins’ film career may be too important to her to take on Doctor Who, but her versatility would add a new dimension to the role. And the fact that I think of Fingersmith whenever I see her is a bonus.

Now that the Ponds have set the precedent that a couple can journey with The Doctor, perhaps the wonderful interspecies lesbian couple Madame Vestra and Jenny could step in.

I think we’d all love to see that tongue in action again.

Of course, with The Doctor, anything can happen. And anyone in the universe can be a companion. So, who would you like to see in the part?